by Rachael Lesosky
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Valley Voice
Village of Kaslo staff will sign a funding agreement with the province to accept $40,000 from the Indigenous Engagement Requirements Funding Program.
The funds were offered to offset costs associated with the Indigenous engagement requirements of the Emergency and Disaster Management Act (EDMA).
As part of the agreement, the Village will choose engagement activities from a set list. Categories include consultation and co-ordination, relationship building, planning, agreement building, and reconciliation and capacity building. There may be an opportunity to collaborate with the Regional District of Central Kootenay and other member municipalities, as the agreement allows pooling funds.
The funding is in direct response to feedback to the province from local governments about capacity and resources needed to implement the EDMA. The RDCK has sent multiple letters to the province, expressing its concern about the downloading of provincial responsibilities onto local governments.
The program is being offered to Indigenous governing bodies, municipalities and regional districts.
Baseball and softball
Council approved a user agreement with the Kaslo Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA) at its March 26 meeting. The agreement will allow KBSA to use Murray Pearson Ball Park during the 2024-2026 summer seasons.
Due to increased participation in both the youth and adult programs, KBSA will use the ball park seven days per week, from April to October (31 weeks). Last year, it used the park five days per week for only 13 weeks.
Since KBSA will use the field extensively, it asked to pay a lesser user fee rather than rental charges, which could end up in the range of $6,500. The user fee will help KBSA keep registration fees affordable for residents.
Final costs and terms of the agreement will be finalized soon. In the past, a portion of the user fee was forwarded to the campground operator, to fund washroom cleaning. Participants of KBSA programs use the campground facilities.
Councillor Matthew Brown recused himself because he sits on the board of the association and is involved in the programming.
Logger sports
Council deemed the annual Kaslo Logger Sports (KLS), held during May Days, an Event of Significance. This will allow KLS to charge higher prices for alcoholic beverages at its beer garden to help meet its fundraising goals.
Since KLS is not a registered charity, it must follow the maximum alcohol pricing guidelines set by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch, unless council designates it an Event of Significance.
Logger Sports is a well-established and popular community tradition, so council did not have qualms about granting the designation.
Jazz Fest
Council granted several requests from the Kaslo Jazz Etc. Society for the 2024 Kaslo Jazz Festival. The event runs Aug. 2-4 at Kaslo Bay Park.
Council agreed that portions of Kaslo Bay Road could be closed to non-festival traffic from 8 a.m. on July 31, until 8 a.m. on Aug. 5. This closure limits access to the public boat launch and boat club facilities. However, boat clubs will be provided with reserved parking spaces for specified club members and members of the public will be able to use an alternate boat launch during the closure.
The Kaslo Jazz Etc. Society will be able to use Kaslo Bay Park until midnight all three nights of the event, and was granted a noise bylaw exemption. The Noise Bylaw usually stipulates a quiet time from 10 p.m. through 8 a.m. the following day.
Council also approved a beer garden license for Aug. 1-4. Stainless steel rather than paper or plastic beverage containers will also be permitted. The beer garden will be used for a fundraiser during the event, and for a volunteer appreciation event.
The society will also be able to affix banners to the Welcome to Kaslo signs along the highway. Existing signage must not be obstructed.
Ultraviolet water treatment
Kerr Wood Leidal Consulting Engineers (KWLCE) have been awarded the contract for designing and constructing the ultraviolet disinfection upgrades at the water treatment plant. The project will cost $72,636 excluding taxes.
“The intention is for the equipment to be commissioned and fully operational by year end,” wrote chief administrative officer Robert Baker in his comments on the staff report.
The total budget for upgrading the water treatment plant is $1,018,000, of which $110,000 is set aside for design and construction services.
The Village received a grant from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, with a maximum funding contribution of $746,499. The Village will make its own contribution of $271,501 from the Water Reserve account.
KWLCE’s proposal was one of two received.
New boathouse
Dale Unruh will be building a new boathouse and dock at his slip at the Kaslo Bay Marine Club, after council approved his Lakeshore Protection Development Permit.
The structure will be professionally built by Nelco Marine & Build-A-Dock.